3 MORE tips for landing your dream home in SD | CA

4. Differentiate yourself from other buyers

Selling a home is an emotional thing for many homeowners, and many want to know they're selling to someone who will cherish the property as much as they do.

I recommend attaching a personal letter to your competitive offer that tells a little about who you are and why you want the house. This could be particularly effective in beating all-cash offers if you need financing!

5 . Make an offer close to, or above the listing price

Try not to low-ball sellers. While that kind of offer might have been acceptable when prices were still dropping, these days you're more likely to offend if your first offer is too low.

"People get caught up making a starting offer and make an offer they know the sellers aren't going to take," says Jamie Edwards, a Coldwell Banker consumer specialist. "That's actually a bad negotiation strategy. It's more important to make an offer is realistic and you feel good about. The seller is more apt to come back with a stronger counteroffer if your offer is real tight to their list price."

You also don't want to spend too much time going back and forth with a seller. While you're negotiating, the seller may get another, better offer - and take it, meaning you may miss out on a great opportunity.

6. Keep your offer clean

If you can avoid it, don't add stipulations, requirements, or other requests for personal property to your offer. The initial offer should be as clean and clear-cut as possible. It's easier for a seller to understand and compare offers when yours doesn't include a lot of add-ons. Talk to your real estate agent about what items may be negotiated after the offer is accepted.

*Contact me today for some free tips on preparing the perfect offer*

DavidJohnstonRE@gmail.com or 858-774-8063